


and this digs deep into our skin

by shadowdance



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/F, Gen, M/M, Slice of Life, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-05
Updated: 2016-08-05
Packaged: 2018-07-29 14:50:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7688719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowdance/pseuds/shadowdance
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>eight different people, and four different snapshots of life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	and this digs deep into our skin

**Author's Note:**

> hey don't listen to kpop while you write bc it motivates you to write warmup drabbles and then post them  
> minor support spoilers, but that's it really.

* * *

  _1) Leo & Xander_

His younger brother is more adept with magic than swords, but that doesn’t mean Leo doesn’t want to train with them. So Xander selects a wooden sword, tosses it to Leo, and picks up another one. Leo’s fingers are a little clumsy around the sword, but he lasts quite long, longer than Xander expects. He doesn’t beat Xander, not quite, but he puts up a good fight and Xander admires that. He offers a few pointers, which Leo swallows like a bitter pill, and they train until the gray clouds above swirl into darkness.

“We should stop,” Xander decides, and Leo sighs but drops his sword on the ground reluctantly. His hair is getting quite long, Xander observes; golden locks are falling in Leo’s eyes, and they stick to his forehead with sweat, which makes it harder for Leo to push his bangs out of his eyes.

They’re walking to Xander’s room in silence when Leo suddenly asks, “Hey, Xander—do you think I’m really good with the sword?” He isn’t looking at Xander when the high prince turns around, rather at his feet, as though he hasn’t spoken.

Xander chuckles lightly, and Leo’s cheeks bloom red. “You’re doing fine, Leo.”

Leo deflates a little. “I see. I’ll just have to better myself, then, to make you proud.”

Xander can’t help it; he laughs, and Leo looks a little offended. Xander just shakes his head and opens a drawer, drawing out a plain, black headband. Father gave it to him after Leo’s mother died; Xander assumes that Father didn’t want Leo to break down in tears if he got it. But now he walks over to Leo, crouches to his height, and pushes the headband up on Leo’s hair. Leo blinks and touches it.

“You don’t have to,” Xander says, and Leo’s fingers scrape against his hair, surprised. “I’m already proud of you.”

* * *

_2) Kaden/Hinata_

They pick berries a lot together, because it helps Kaden feel less homesick. Hinata would do anything for his friend, so he sits there as Kaden plucks the purple berries from the bush. Sometimes they bring the berries back, but more often than not Kaden eats them there, out of habit and homesickness.

“Hinata,” he begins one day, his voice carrying in a low murmur; Hinata takes a berry and lets the juice explode on his tongue before crawling over. Kaden glances back and forth, and then cups his hands together and asks, “Do you think my tribe will let me come back?”

Hinata is surprised by the question, but Kaden’s ears hang low and his eyes look sad, and Hinata thinks no amount of berries will fix this. “Well, yeah. Why wouldn’t they?”

“Kitsunes don’t really like humans that much.” Kaden picks up a berry but doesn’t eat it, just tosses it around in his hands. “They say humans are dangerous and incapable of feelings, and to stay away from them. I kind of…broke that rule, so I don’t know if my tribe will still like me if I come back.”

“That’s insane,” Hinata says, the words sharp, and Kaden looks up. “C’mon, Kaden. Your family is missing you right now too, aren’t they?” Kaden flinches, and Hinata realizes what he could’ve implied. “Well—they miss you, and they’ll be overjoyed when you get back. That’s what I meant. And you’re super selfless and kind, plus you’ll be overflowing with new experiences. Maybe you’ll change their minds about humans—no, I’m sure you will. You’re going to be a great leader when you go back.”

Kaden raises an eyebrow when Hinata finishes. He smiles, a little, and looks at the berries in his hands. “I think I want you to come with me to the village,” he replies, and Hinata chokes on a berry. “You don’t have to stay with me the whole time, I just…kind of want you to meet everyone.”

Hinata forces himself to swallow and coughs. “Kaden…”

The kitsune smiles lightly at him, and extends a hand to the samurai, helping him up. “Let’s take these berries back to camp,” he says.

* * *

_3) Oboro/Orochi_

“What do you think of this mask?”

When Oboro glances her way, a white cat mask smiles back, and a low giggle escapes from the mouth. Oboro rolls her eyes and reaches over, tipping the mask down to reveal Orochi’s golden eyes.

“C’mon, Orochi. Your masks are…a work of art, but I’ve got to work.”

Orochi shrugs and places the mask back on the clothesline. “Are you making a wedding kimono?” she asks, watching as Oboro’s fingers click and weave cloth together.

“Yep. I know, during a war it’s not a great time to work on commissions, but Lord-”

Orochi cuts her off with a trademark giggle, high-pitched and bubbly. “What, you think I judge?” she asks, and leans across the counter. “I made those masks during a war, and I stayed up all night doing so.” She points to the masks, red and white, empty-eyed, and baring their teeth in different expressions. They don’t exactly resemble Oboro, but then again, maybe they weren’t supposed to. Orochi’s arts are unique, akin to Kagero’s.

“Personally,” Orochi says, capturing Oboro’s attention again, “while I didn’t mind making those masks, I think it’s silly. You have a really cute smile, you know. I’m glad that little boy got to see it.

Oboro feels her cheeks burn red, and when Orochi notices, she starts to laugh again. Oboro shakes her head and puts a needle between her teeth, the metal cool as she flips the cloth over. She takes it out of her mouth and resumes sewing, well aware of Orochi’s playful stare flickering between her and the kimono. Eventually, though, she hears Orochi get up and shuffle around, and then when a chuckle erupts from the back, Oboro puts down the kimono.  
  
“You like it?” Orochi places a hand on her hips, a mask on her face; its lip is curled and purple paint is smeared under the eyes. Oboro rolls her eyes and pushes herself up.

“Personally,” she says, “I kind of like what’s under it.” She slides the mask down, and it clatters around Orochi’s neck. The diviner raises an eyebrow when Oboro leans up, but she laughs against Oboro’s lips. 

* * *

  _4) Ryoma & Azura_

He likes listening to her sing. Her voice is calming and relaxing, and as he positions himself against a peach tree, he keeps his eye on the songstress, kneeling near an ore lake and dragging her fingers over the surface. She’s not singing the song she sang to Corrin when he was on his rampage, but rather a simple old tune that Ryoma recognizes. Lady Mikoto sang it to Takumi when he was a baby and fussy, and while Mikoto’s voice was beautiful, it is nothing compared to Azura. Ryoma positions his arms above his heads, and listens to Azura’s voice rise and fall like a tempest.

“You have a lovely voice,” he says; it tumbles out of his mouth before he can stop it. Azura stops, abruptly, the music box fading away, and offers a small smile.

“Thank you.” Her eyes return back to the water, and the only noise is her fingers treading water. Ryoma swallows, feeling the silence wrap around his throat and squeeze.

“Have we ever felt like family to you?” he blurts out, and then covers his mouth immediately. Azura’s eyes widen, her head jerking back so she can stare at Ryoma. Her face reads shock, but then flickers over to regret and sadness. She’s going to answer him, Ryoma realizes; Azura is not one to lie, and she’s already leaving so many questions hanging, empty of answers, that she knows he deserves this answer.

“You have always been very kind to me,” Azura says softly. Ryoma reads between the lines and understands: _I’m sorry, but no._

Ryoma leans against the tree again, heart hollow, as Azura turns back to the water and picks up her song. He closes his eyes, and lets Azura’s voice carry him to dreamland.


End file.
